The present invention relates generally to an appliance for use by a smoker and, in particular, to an apparatus for reducing the quantity of smoke emanating from a lighted cigarette during periods of time the cigarette is positioned within the apparatus.
A number of apparatuses have been utilized to diminish the secondhand smoke generated by a smoldering cigarette in the surroundings of the actual smoker and the passive smoker. U.S. Pat. No. 2,340,618 discloses a receptacle for lighted cigarettes which diminishes the emanation of smoke by admitting only enough oxygen to the receptacle to permit slow burning for a short time. The cigarette is inserted vertically into a hole and the lighted end of the cigarette rests on a ledge formed around the interior of the receptacle. Due to a lack of oxygen, the cigarette is snuffed out after approximately one minute.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,348,423 discloses an ash tray supporting a spaced apart hood on a column. The hood has a plurality of snuffers formed as thimbles extending inwardly and downwardly from the sides of the hood. Each of the thimbles is open at both ends for receiving a cigarette. The lighted end of the cigarette extends inwardly beyond the open inner end of the thimble. The cigarette will burn for a minute or so and then go out which substantially eliminates the smoke from the cigarette once it is positioned within the thimble.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,329 discloses a cigarette snuffer for extinguishing a burning cigarette. The burning cigarette is inserted vertically into a cylindrical tube having an internal ridge for compressing the unburned material of the cigarette. The compression is sufficient to restrict the flow of air in the unburned material. The portion of the cigarette which is burning quickly uses up available oxygen and is smothered within a few seconds.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,874,319 discloses an ash tray having a hollow body and a lid covering an upper open end. The lid has tapered openings and another opening extending therethrough to the interior of the body. A peripheral flange formed on the lid has radially arranged troughs, and is adapted to rest on the upper end of the body. A lighted cigarette can be inserted into one of the tapered openings to snuff it out or through the another opening into the interior of the body. A lighted cigarette also can be placed in one of the troughs whereby ashes will fall through the openings into the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,992 discloses an apparatus for a smoker having an extinguisher and a support for lighted cigarettes adapted for use in an ashtray. The apparatus has an open top receptacle and column supporting a shallow cylindrically shaped framework formed of spaced apart generally horizontally extending upper and lower plates connected by a side wall. The top plate is provided with apertures of sufficient size to receive a cigarette, and some of the apertures are positioned above tubes mounted in the interior of the framework to snugly and tightly engage a cigarette. Apertures are provided in the lower plate aligned with the apertures in the upper plate but of insufficient size to enable a cigarette to pass therethrough. Apertures are provided in the side wall and a rotatable ring in the interior of the framework for controlling the air admitted to the interior. A cigarette can be inserted into the upper plate and will be extinguished if inserted into one of the tubes or if the side wall apertures are misaligned to cut off the air flow. A timed extinguishment of the cigarette can be controlled by the alignment of the side wall apertures relative to one another to adjust the air flow to the interior of the framework.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,105 discloses a cigarette having an ash retaining trough-shaped member, formed of a fire resistant material, positioned beneath the forward portion of the cigarette to support the cigarette ashes' cool the smoke and condense undesirable chemical substances before they reach the mouth of the smoker. A snuffer band encircles the cigarette at the rear of the trough to automatically extinguish the cigarette.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,452 discloses a cigarette extinguisher having an extended tubular portion large enough to receive a lighted end of a cigarette. The tubular portion is tapered towards an inwardly extending flange formed at the lower end and has a flared upper end with dimples for securing the tubular portion to a supporting plate. A cigarette is inserted vertically into the tubular portion and the flange prevents the cigarette from passing through the open lower end. The cigarette is forced or pressed against the walls of the tubular portion and heat is conducted away from the lighted end to extinguish the cigarette.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,317 discloses a collapsible and stackable ash receptacle made from a laminate of paper and foil or other non flammable material. An inwardly projecting non-inflammable, short cigarette supporting ledge is positioned between a bottom end of the receptacle and a upper end of the receptacle and projects away from a rear wall and upwardly therefrom at an angle between 32.degree. and 64.degree.. The ledge is perforated by a plurality of openings to enable a lighted cigarette end supported thereby to continue burning. The ledge is sufficiently stiff to enable a lighted cigarette end to be extinguished by forcing the cigarette against the ledge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,510 discloses a cigarette snuffing device which includes a small hollow cylinder which is attached by a bracket to a guide funnel to facilitate the vertical insertion of a lip portion of a cigarette into the cylinder. An annular ridge is located at approximately the midpoint between the ends of the inside of the cylinder. The cigarette is vertically inserted through the funnel into the cylinder until contact is made with the annular ridge. The contact of the cigarette with the ridge forms a seal which prevents oxygen from flowing through the cylinder. The burning cigarette quickly dissipates any available oxygen contained with the cylinder and is extinguished.